Castle in War
by Gabriella F
Summary: Mankind has been thrown into war by an ancient, evil race from a parallel dimension. During the battle, can the remaining members of the Elite Team reclaim their comrades, AND save mankind? Or will they fail, and allow Earth to fall into the clutches of the Evils? Action, action, action, and more action! Something random, written from the top of my head. Rated T, just to be safe.


**-I actually did this when I got bored this one day, I had war in the back of my thoughts, and decided to write something. I had no idea it would turn this large, but I'm kind of satisfied with it. This probably won't have anything to do with my main Castle novelization, since this is something different, and probably won't turn into something with more than one chapter. Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and leave a review if you liked it :)**

** For better effects, read this while listening to Nothing Left, by As I Lay Dying. I was listening to that while writing this. Don't like Rock? Try Two Steps From Hell, or Immediate Music!**

* * *

Boomer and Beecher stood in the front line of the remaining human army. The ground rumbled beneath their feet like ripping waves, vibrating up the soles of their feet. A diversion of fear and fright overwhelmed Beecher as he looked out over the distance. Despite everything, he eyed Boomer, who stood at his side, ready for anything, and the determination came rushing back.

The ground's trembling grew harsher in elevation, and they could barely see the seemingly never-ending silhouette of alternate-dimensional creatures charging across the vast grounds, kicking up dust behind them.

"Freaks." Mullin's voice crawled out from somewhere the near the front of the human army.

Large stones and trees were scattered across the battleground, creating an array of good places for cover. The sun nestled halfway between the empty landscape and the horizon, allowing the silhouette of the creature army to be more visible. Even though the military units had lost most of their firearms, they still had emergency weapons, such as swords and sabers. Those who didn't have weapons, picked up littered bottles and sticks, while scrambling into hurried, disorganized ranks.

Beside Boomer and Beecher, stood the General. His raging facial features were hardened, which defined his preparedness for a battle. He turned to the remaining members of the Elite Team and shouted over the loud roaring of the creature's running footsteps, "This is it! With, or without Lloyd and Etrius, you have to fight!"

As much as they hated it, they nodded.

The army of demons slowed to a halt a hundred feet away from the military of humans. Freaked Lloyd and Freaked Etrius stood in the front of the crowd, their glowing eyes seeming to cut through all the distraction, hunting for them.

The deep voice that seemed to bend the air around them slammed into every one of the human's thoughts, "I need Earth, and Earth needs me. You mortals are merely a bump in my road to complete control. Now, prepare to die, humans." The creature army charged with the final words said, swords raised high over their heads.

A battle cry from someone in the front of the Human army gave inspiration to the rest to copy, and they charged. Although the General was in the front line, Boomer and Beecher seemed to lead the army to saving salvation.

The cash of two swords from a human and creature in the front line, and the war began.

Boomer and Beecher slashed and hacked their swords through the mass of creature, as they searched frantically for Lloyd and Etrius, who had, for some reason, retreated into their crowd of demons.

Somewhere in the corner of his eye, Boomer saw Private Ray in the middle of a wrestling match with two creatures. The tallest one tried to hack at him with his sword, but he blocked the attack with a knife he'd extracted from his belt. The second one grabbed his arm in an attempt to bite, and throw him under his control, but he landed a roundhouse kick on his chest.

Barely in Beecher's line of vision, he saw Mullins lashing out with his dagger at a crowd of creatures that encircled him. Five more demons joined the fight, and were beginning to overwhelm him. They didn't have time to stop and help him. They needed a way to find Lloyd and Etrius, as they were the ones controlling the army, and kill them. Whether they liked it, or not.

They found them in a small empty clearing, despite a few dead bodies, as if it were created just for them alone. Then, just as they found them, they parted ways, and ran off.

Boomer said, "Beecher, find Etrius. I'll go after Lloyd."

Before an argument could surface, Boomer ran the way Lloyd went.

"LLOYD!" Boomer screamed as soon as he saw him.

Evil Lloyd glared at him with unearthly eyes, and raised his sword shoulder level. Boomer charged with his sword clutched tightly in both hands. He raised it high, and swung it down with all his strength, but Lloyd blocked the sudden attack with the hilt of his sword, relying on his powerful build, and athletic grace.

"Lloyd, I _know_ you're still in there." Boomer called out to him, telling himself that somewhere inside, he could still hear his voice.

Lloyd slightly tipped his head back, throwing a fit of laughter, "If you know the Mortal is still here, how you can fight him do easily?"

Boomer ducked as Lloyd gave an attempt to slice his head off, "Because, he would want to do the same."

* * *

Beecher wasn't having as much luck with Etrius as Boomer was with Lloyd.

Etrius' sword dived down, but Beecher leaped out of the way. Beecher raised his sword in a defensive posture just as Etrius' sword was thrust down on top of him again.

Beecher rapidly ambled backwards, using his sword to block each of Etrius' attacks, but if he didn't stop playing defense soon, he'd eventually back him into the wall of fighting castle creatures and soldiers.

The sword collided with his again, the impact vibrating up his arm. He clenched his teeth to battle the pain. Etrius was strong, but something told Beecher he wasn't really trying his best. Was he... _Toying_ with him? Or was the real Etrius throwing an inner war with the creature that possessed him?

Etrius swung his sword with all his might behind his arm, knocking Beecher's right out of his hands. It flew into the air, and into the crowd of creatures fighting with humans. The emptiness in his hands suddenly felt very real, and he made a desperate lunge for the sword, but not before Etrius catapulted on top of him.

Etrius' hands vised the back of Beecher's neck, and Beecher stood on his feet in hopes of shaking him off, but no luck. Their struggle carried them behind a large stone, blogging them out of anyone's sight.

"_Get the hell off me_!" Beecher hissed as he continued to struggle.

To his shock, the cold hands let go, and a very familiar voice sounded behind him, "Beecher, calm down."

Beecher's eyes widened and he whizzed around. Etrius' eyes still glowed an icy white color, but he didn't seem to be in anyone's control.

"Etrius?" Beecher's voice sounded low, as if making sure every word he said made sense. He was doing a lousy job at it, "You- You're not-"

"No," Etrius said, a small smile slowly performing on his face, "I faked being possessed while in the castle, and while going to war with the Freaks against the Humans." His smile dropped, "Can't speak for Lloyd, though."

Beecher gradually comprehended why Etrius had faked being possessed. He did it so he could stay with the enemy, and find out the Castle creatures' plans, and what they were going to do. And, to find his way back to the human army, giving them a better advantage to fight, as he still had his supernatural powers.

Beecher scrambled to his feet, "So then, that means you're in control of the Freak army, right? Make them stop fighting!" If Etrius was in power of the army, they could take the advantage.

"No. Since Lloyd is the main leader of the army, he's the only one with the power of actually being capable of stopping them." Etrius replied, his tone lowering with disappointment.

"So, then what are we waiting for? Let's go help Boomer."

Etrius froze when he heard what Beecher had just said, "Boomer's fighting Lloyd by _himself_?"

"Yeah? What's the problem?" Beecher asked, every word dripping confusion.

"He can't defeat him on his own!" Etrius began to run to Boomer and Lloyd, but he looked back at Beecher who seemed to have his turn to linger, "Lloyd's the leader of the entire army. Comparing him to Boomer is like comparing Boomer to a private in a wrestling match."

Beecher blinked in surprise. Never before had he seen _anything_ more powerful than a Boomer. Seeing something like this is like seeing... well, _nothing_ can be as shocking to him as this.

"He can't stand a chance by himself! Come _on_!"

And they ran.

* * *

Boomer's breathing had become heavy, and the redness in his eyes defined his exhaustion. His grip on his sword had eased. He didn't know how much longer he could keep fending off Lloyd's powerful strokes.

Lloyd saw his advantage and the edges of his mouth tipped upward in amusement. He jeered, "_This_ is the Human Army's most powerful soldier? You're kind is doomed."

Between his teeth, Boomer hissed, "Shut the fuck up." He swung his sword at Lloyd's head, but he hopped back, and the blade of the sword swung inches past his throat. He realized his attacks were beginning to be desperate, and he straightened his stance, and fixed a fresh grip on his sword.

Evil Lloyd plunged his sword forward, but Boomer thrust his out in retaliation.

Boomer's back hit a creature's and he grabbed it's head from behind, and hurled it at Lloyd in hopes of creating a distraction, or at least slowing him down. Lloyd batted the body away as if he'd flung a baseball, and charged once more at Boomer.

Then, as if he'd been hit by a battering ram, Lloyd was flung back fifty feet by an invisible force.

Etrius tore through the bodies of fighting creatures and soldiers, followed by Beecher who had retrieved his sword, and stood by Boomer's side, weapons raised shoulder-level.

"_Etrius_?" Boomer blurted out with uncertainty enfolding his voice.

"Don't ask." Etrius replied as soon as he saw Lloyd storming back out of the horde of creatures and soldiers, vehemence coursing through his veins.

They all attacked at once.

Beecher landed the first attack. Raising his sword high, and slamming it down, he aimed for Lloyd's arm. Lloyd uttered a guttural growl and blocked the attack with his blade.

Etrius flew at Lloyd with his sword seeming to shoot from his hand like a white flame. Lloyd whirled around, and blocked his attacks. The clashing steel seemed to slice the air, despite the deafening sounds of screaming war.

Boomer slammed into him from behind, knocking him off balance. Taking advantage of his brief immobility, he severed the lower half of his left leg. Blood spurted from the wound, painting ground. The black dirt became moist.

Lloyd clutched his thigh, growling at the pain.

Boomer and Beecher stepped back in shock as Lloyd was hoisted by himself into midair. Flying. The rage behind his eyes and the liquid-white sizzling in his iris told them he _wasn't_ pleased.

"Fucking great." Boomer swore under his breath.

Driving his arms out, two spheres of light grew in Lloyd's hands, and he hurled them at his used-to-be-teammates as if death orbs.

Boomer, Beecher, and Etrius cleared the attacks, but not before Lloyd drove two more in their direction. Scrambling their feet, they ran.

Their private fight carried them further away from the battlefield, and tumbling into an isolated area. Large rocks and trees scattered the region, creating an array of good hiding places, and giving them higher stealth.

Pressing themselves against the trees, they held their breath as Lloyd stopped in his tracks, and scanned the area, clearly muddled by where they were hiding.

Beecher risked a glance at Lloyd, and his breath was snagged from his lungs, when he saw Lloyd… _walking_. Perfectly fine. As if nothing had happened to his leg. Did it… Regenerate? That quickly?

In the corner of his eye, Beecher saw Etrius gesturing to him. He turned to him, and saw him create a globe of light in his bare hand, and he threw it to the other side of the large perimeter. A distraction.

Lloyd turned to the way the power hit, and flung three psychic blows in the direction.

With disadvantage gleaming all over Lloyd, they charged at him. Etrius hacked at Lloyd's back, but not before Lloyd lashed his sword out, and the blades clanged together, the sound vibrating through the air.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, he plunged his hands out, and psychic power burst from them, knocking both Boomer and Beecher off the ground, and flying into the mass of trees.

Agonizing heat rippled through Boomer's left shoulder, and down his back as his side hit a wide tree, making it tumble to the ground, off balance. Beecher plowed into a large rock, cracking the tough surface, and he heard his ribcage snap before he felt it.

Shit. All this time they've been fighting and they weren't even realizing his utmost power. Lloyd had been holding back, now obviously enjoying watching them fight with all their strength, while all he had to do was block their attacks amusingly, without so much as wasting a breath.

Etrius staggered backwards, and winced in astonishment. He wasn't entirely stunned at what Lloyd had done to Boomer and Beecher, but more shocked at why he didn't do it to _him_.

Lloyd smirked, and seemed to read his thoughts, "You're the most powerful human I've seen yet." He stepped forward, only making Etrius step back, "I could use you."

Etrius glanced back at his fallen team. Boomer attempted to jump back into the fight, only to have walked two steps before faltering. One hit. _One_ hit. That was all it took for Lloyd to take down the most powerful soldiers in the military. He shuddered at what he could be capable of doing to earth.

"_Use_ me?" Etrius scoffed, "What are you-"

Lloyd's teeth gleamed with triumph, "Imagine it; Rulers of mankind. Isn't that what all you idiotic mortals dream of being?"

Etrius didn't so much as bat an eye, "I'm here to _save_ mankind."

"Like how you saved your 'friends'?" Freaked Lloyd mocked.

Etrius felt the hateful pulse swelling through him, "No. Like how I'm going to save Lloyd."

Etrius flew at Lloyd, using his sword like a dagger to slash at him. Lloyd skipped backwards, evading each attack, depending on his agile movement to do most of the work. Feeling a large object looming up behind him, he frisked to the side, avoiding hitting the tree, while simultaneously dodging the attack.

They fought in a blur of rapid strokes, barely landing a hit on each other. They were evenly matched.

"_Lloyd_!" Etrius screamed, trying to get the real Lloyd to hear his voice, "Listen to me!"

Freaked Lloyd smirked, "Trying to contact the earthling while _possessed_? How does that even work?"

The wind began to pick up speed, indicating that a storm was coming, but Etrius didn't pay any bit of attention to it.

Ignoring Freaked Lloyd's abusive remark, Etrius shouted, "Lloyd, you said before you wanted to save Earth! You wanted to put an _end_ to the resource war!" He pushed resolve behind his words, hoping that Lloyd would interpret the urgency in his tone, "Open your eyes! Look at what's going on around you!"

Thunder reeled in the dark skies overhead, and light sheets of rain spilled over the vast area. In the foggy, gray distance, Etrius scarcely heard the deafening echoes of war, as the Humans clashed swords with the creatures.

He blocked another attack with a clean hurl of his sword, "Snap the fuck out of it!"

Freaked Lloyd didn't look like he was feeling any resistance, so Etrius risked another attempted shot, "Look at who you're fighting!"

It wasn't working. How was he going to reach him? How could he bring him back to reality? More importantly, how could he make him see who was right in front of him?

Before he could grasp what was going on, a grunted cry escaped his lips, and he stumbled back in shock as Lloyd's sword erupted in a blast of white light, leaving a lingering glow that surrounded the blade. He… enraptured it? Etrius didn't know they could do that. But, how?

Improvising, he shifted his focus on his sword, and wrapped his thoughts around the blade, absorbing his attention on his power. A small light sparked from the handle, and the blade burst into a shining light, showering the grass with lingering offshoots.

The light rain fell into a thick, heavy torrent, and lightning lit up the sky with of mass of yellow spider webs.

Lloyd took advantage of Etrius' momentary rigidity, and arched his sword, but Etrius danced sideways, and the blade nipped at the flesh on his waist. Blood squirted from the wound, thriving across his shirt, and armor. A foreign coldness flooded through his body, and throbbing aching shot through his bloodstream, making his teeth rattle. The chilled raindrops falling on his skin was nothing compared to the ice-cold sensitivity of Lloyd's sword.

Aggressively, Etrius lunged to stab Lloyd's arm, but Lloyd two-handed his sword, and swung at Etrius' nearly knocking it out of his hands. Etrius didn't have time to land an attack before Lloyd swung his sword fatally at his head. Etrius countered the attacks with several explosive blows of his own.

Cold rain dribbled down his face, and blurred his eyes, making it further challenging to dodge attacks, and land them.

Etrius slightly squinted, barely seeing Lloyd's shoulders heaving up and down. He was running out of breath.

The seconds ticked by, and Etrius still didn't quit fighting, although, eventually, he became breathless, and gasping for air. His battering lashes turned desperate, and Lloyd saw him at a disadvantage.

The mist blocked Etrius from seeing his feet, and what was behind them. He felt something-an outgrowing stem maybe- snag at his ankle, making his balance falter. His legs spread awkwardly on the wet grass as he tried desperately to regain his stance. Etrius eyed Lloyd's dark silhouette emerged from the fog, his sword poised to attack.

Etrius tried to get back up on his feet, but slipped against the water that beaded the grass.

Lloyd swung his sword down, driving the blade deep into Etrius' chest.

Etrius froze, paralyzed by shock and ache. Frailly, he reeled his head up, "Lloyd?"

Smiling immorally, Freaked Lloyd finished the attack with a harsh extract of the blade, the blood spouting, and bursting from the wound.

A burning, stinging sensation pumped from the sword wound, and throughout his figure, making him unable to distinguish if he was falling to the floor or not. Staring at Lloyd's retreating image, Etrius fell to the ground, knowing the failure was hanging in the air.

Freaked Lloyd spun the sword in his hand, not entirely satisfied at what he'd done. Grunting, he murmured, "You still could've made a useful slave."

Something tingled in the back of his mind, and he passed it off as the rain trickling down his head, but threw the thought away when the tingling grew into a nuisance.

A sharp panging gnawed at his heart, and he immediately clutched his chest in hopes of lowering the anguish, "What?"

The real Lloyd blinked, and stared at the world as if he were looking through another's eyes. The first thing he noticed was a body lying at his feet, and he knew exactly who it was. He didn't even have to look behind him to remember who else had fallen. Dazed by what he had done, his grip on his sword slackened, and he heard the _crunch _of steel against grass.

A small breath escaped him, and it yawned inside him like an eternal black hole.

His feet gave away and he fell to his knees, paralyzed at what he saw.

No.

This wasn't real. It _couldn't_ be real. And at the same time, it was.

_This has to be a dream, right?_ Lloyd thought with disbelief, _I'm just imagining this. It's not real._

For the first time in his life, he craved for a lie.

Desperate to get the thought through his mind that he was imagining everything, he shut his eyes, only to be met by another's. Panic jumped up in his chest, and he felt the creature that possessed him commandeer his mind. Lloyd fought back in retaliation.

Swinging to his feet, he lunged forward and grabbed his stomach, feeling an uneasy feeling swimming around inside it, "_You did this_." He susurrated abiding the creature that dared to take over him.

He harshly slammed his thoughts into the creature's, struggling for control of the body. The world around him spun, and he wasn't sure if he was moving, or the ground below him, or if time in the air surrounding him was set in slow-motion.

"Asshole." Lloyd demurred, "Get the fuck out of my mind!"

His body suddenly ruptured into a shining outburst of light. He was throwing out his power, in hopes of weakening the creature that possessed him.

His vision doubled as it seesawed in and out of focus. The light in his eyes literally faded and rematerialized, as he thrashed for control. Realizing that he couldn't keep fighting the creature for long, Lloyd tried something that he didn't even _know_ he could do.

His thoughts groping the creature's, he pulled, and they exited the body.

Lloyd's black, silhouette could be interpreted, as he pulled the creature out, the body falling to the ground. This Freak was _far_ more horrifying than the others. Pure white horns occupied the sides of its head, and it's muscular form defined it's strength to be hundreds of times stronger than any other alternate-dimensional creature's.

It opened it's mouth and uttered a perturbing roar, it's sharp teeth black, and saliva dripping down from them. Lloyd swore everyone in the army overhead could smell it's reeking breath. Even so, they were in _Lloyd's _conscience, so their strength was evenly matched, whether they liked it or not.

The creature continued to tussle in Lloyd's grip, wrestling to get free of his grasp. Lloyd hooked his arms around the Freak's neck, pinching his airway, holding him in place.

The creature's struggling turned even harsher, and Lloyd was losing his grip. He didn't even realize he was hovering in mid-air when he looked down at the enraptured sword lying on the ground, the tip of the blade facing the sky, as if it were meant to be that way.

Taking the bull by the horns-literally, Lloyd threw himself, and the monster forward, and they fell on the blade.

Fiery white light pumped from the blade, and into the demon's body. In a matter of seconds, it's skin deteriorated into dust, and it's remains were sucked up by the earth.

Lloyd staggered back, and fell to his side, looking down at the sword wound in his chest. Blood with a mixture of white liquid seeped from the injury. With dizziness and pain overpowering him, he limped back to his body before it was too late, each heavy step becoming denser by the second. He tripped over, and fell, landing inside the form.

The rain had let itself up, and the Freaks in the distance gradually fell over, one by one. This was it. The war was won. Mankind was saved. Allowing all breath to escape him, he closed his eyes, feeling the liberation of rest swelling through him.

* * *

**-Like I said, this probaly won't have anything to do with my main Castle novelization. So, call this a random fandom. Don't worry about spoilers for the main story, this won't have anything. Just something I wrote on the top of my head :)**


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